Broken Consequence
by Sinful Magician
Summary: After witnessing a young boy get launched from a moving van, Yami Mutou is thrown into a world of uncertainty. Just how deep are the boy's wounds? Puzzleshipping, Yaoi (malexmale), and possible OOCness
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** This is my first fic, and I definitely know it didn't turn out as well as I was hoping it would, at least as far as length goes. I've read a lot fan fictions, (almost 780), which means I've read a lot of good ones. It also means that I've read a lot of bad ones, so I'm going to try and avoid mistakes that I've seen. I also apologize for OOCness, but I attempted to keep the characters the same. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but please no flames. ^.^' I really did try, but I know I made mistakes. At any rate, please read, rate, and review!

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

_'Thoughts'_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, regardless of how much I may want to.

* * *

The loud crack of a whip resounded throughout the small room. The cement had long been stained pink, slowly darkening each day. Another crack, followed by a low whimper. The small, shivering mass on the floor curled tighter around itself, trying to get away from the lethal weapon. But he was trapped; chained to the floor, by both the wrists and ankles. Eventually, he would no longer need them, but for now, because he tried to run, he would remain chained.

A third crack, and the man above him was laughing.

"I thought I told you, only come upstairs when you are called! But, since you seem to like being punished, you'll get another thirty lashings, and no food for today!"

The man got no reply, which only angered him further.

"Answer me, dammit!" The man exclaimed, bringing the whip down again and again upon the small boy. Tears, followed by more and more blood, soaked the cold cement.

The boy had learned long ago to never answer the man. It proved to piss him off more, so he remained silent, other than a few small whimpers and hisses.

The man roared, and brought the bloodied whip down upon the boy as hard as he possibly could, before throwing it to the side. The boy prayed to fall unconscious, for it to end before he awoke.

The man dropped to the ground, slowly crawling over the boy until he hovered directly over him. He flipped the boy onto his back, before pinning his already chained legs down, and landing blow after blow on the boy's face, stomach, and anywhere else he could reach, further bruising and cutting the boy. After a while, he finally, finally, got bored with the unresponsive child. The large man leaned in real close to the boy's face, and coldly whispered:

"Just you wait until next week. I've finally found something for a bitch like you to do. It's a good paying job, but of course, ah, how do I put this_ nicely_," he paused and looked away, pretending to think for a moment. Turning back to the boy, glaring straight into his wide, fearful eyes, "You aren't worth anything, much less actual _money_, so you won't be receiving anything," the man sneered. "And I suggest you keep your mouth shut about this, otherwise..." He paused again. "Well, I'll leave it to your imagination."

And with that, the man pushed himself off from on top of the boy, and walked out of the room, a sick grin on his face.

The small child, unable to stay awake any longer, thought to himself,_ 'I...wonder if...this will...ever...end...'_ before finally succumbing to the darkness.

_-_xxxxxx-

**[Time Skip]**

_-_xxxxxx-

The boy, having suffered more beatings in the past week, now shakily stood in a dress. Or rather, pieces of cloth seemingly fit together to make a dress. It was black and white with small pleats and ruffles here and there, similar to that of maid's.

However, the "dress" was so revealing, it could hardly be considered a..._dress_. The dress only reached his mid thigh, leaving the rest of his lean legs bare. The whole skirt was shear, with only the ruffled apron and an entirely too short miniskirt underneath to cover his lower extremities. The bodice was extremely low cut, and despite the fact that he was boy, it still seemed to "show off". Lastly, there were the ruffled heels and accessories. The black heels were pure black, closed toe, with a high four-inch heel, designed to make the boy look taller, and his legs longer. Their was a small, pleated strap placed around his left thigh, strategically placed just beneath the outer miniskirt. To complete this enticing dress up, a small, ruffled headband sat upon the boy's strange, tri-coloured hair.

_'W-What...is he...planning t-to...make m-me d-do?'_ the boy thought, still confused and terrified.

"Alright, my little bitch, it's time to go. So get your ass upstairs and wait next to the door."

The boy, not wanting the man to become angry, the boy scurried up the stairs and patiently kneeled off to the side. He did not wait long however, as the man soon came trudging up the stairs.

"Now, before we go, I want to make something clear. When we get there, you are to do EXACTLY as I and my business partner say. If you don't...well...let's just say, things will get messy."

The boy only nodded, still terrified of what may await.

_-_xxxxxx-

The man gruffly took the boy by his arm and pulled him out of the back of the ominous black van. He opened the passenger door.

"Alright, we won't be long. Don't go anywhere, or I might have to call a friend of mine," the man sneered at the driver. The driver rapidly shook his head, and said, "There's, uh, no need to get anyone else involved...I'll just be here."

The man nodded, and dragged the boy inside of booming club. The boy received several lustful glances and stares as they walked towards the back of the room. In attempt to ignore the stares, the boy stared at the ground as they walked across the room. They soon approached another large man that had a grisly face with shaggy, black hair.

"Ahh, boss, good to see ya. Here's that treat you wanted to see. How much you gonna give me for him? Brand new, never before used! I know you like the virgins."

"900."

"What?! Come on, a grand at least! Just look at him! I know quite a few that'd pay a lot of money for somethin' like him."

"950."

"Done deal." The man shoved the boy over to the other man, who grabbed him and forced him into another room.

"Now strip." The "boss", as the boy knew him, said.

_'S-strip? What does he—OH! Does he really expect me to do that?! I couldn't do that, let alone do it right. But I don't want to get punished...'_

"Hey, kid, what are you doing? Hurry up, already, before I shred those clothes off you. You wouldn't want to walk out naked would you?" Boss asked, slowly stalking towards the boy.

The boy turned and ran straight out of the room, past the dance floor, and right out of the club and—

_-_xxxxxx-

—and straight into the man who'd been standing outside the club smoking.

"What the hell are you doing back this soon?! There is no way you're already finished. Even the boss takes longer than that." He stomped out the cigarette, grabbed the boy, and threw him into the back of the van. He closed and locked the door, then walked into the club.

_'Oh no. No, no, no. I'm in trouble. I disobeyed. I definitely going to get punished! Why can't I do anything right?! I'm such a screw-up, and I probably just lost my chances of getting food for the next few days!'_

Just then, the van door slammed open.

"BOY!" The man shouted, stomping into the back of the van. He immediately slapped the child, easily sending him to the floor of the van. "DRIVER! Drive us to the house, _NOW!_"

The driver backed out and started towards the house, quickly gaining speed.

The man loomed over the small mass on the floor of the van.

* * *

**A/N:** Aaaaand that's the end of the prologue. Hope you all enjoyed it, remember to rate and review (no flames please), and have a wonderful day :D

~Sinful Magician


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** So, here's chapter one! Yay! I do have a busy schedule, but I will try to find a day where I can update regularly. Anyways, on with the chapter!

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

_'Thoughts'_

**Disclaimer:** Mmmm, nope, still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. If I did, puzzleshipping would be canon. Though, I, uh, guess it already is. Um, yeah, don't own it. *sad face*

* * *

A short teen made his way down the street, briskly walking in the direction of his home. It was was almost seven, and quickly getting dark. His tri-coloured, star-shaped hair blew in the wind, and raising a hand to block a bit of the sudden gust, he flipped open his phone.

_'Wow, it's getting late. I should hurry home. I don't want Grandpa to worry.'_

Stuffing his phone back into the pocket of his black leather pants, he turned the corner—

_-_xxxxxx-

"Fucking child! Can't you do anything?! Oh, I forgot, your worthless ass isn't capable of doing anything, let alone something right! I was going to earn almost a thousand if you'd performed! You goddamned whore, or should I not call you that, seeing as you couldn't do it!" The man screamed, leaning over to slap the child, while struggling to remain standing in the back of the van. The driver could only watch in horror as the man began to violently beat the child.

The small boy remained silent, until the man said:

"Didn't I warn you about what would happen should you disobey me?" The man asked, his voice suddenly cold.

The boy's eyes widened in fear, staring at the knife in the man's hand. The boy pushed the man, who stumbled and fell, and turned towards the locked door of the van, trying to get away from the dangerous weapon. He managed to get the door open, before he felt a searing pain in his left shoulder. Looking back, he saw that the man had regained his footing and now stood behind him, the blade embedded in his shoulder. The man leaned in close to his ear, and said:

"Hmmm, you know what? You've been nothing but trouble. I don't want you anymore. But, if you tell anyone what happened, or about me for that matter, I, personally, will hunt you down and kill you in the longest, most painful way."

The boy cried out as the man slid the knife diagonally across his back, leaving a deep, jagged cut from the boy's shoulder to his right hip.

"Consider that a warning."

That was all the boy heard before the man shoved the small boy out of the van, not bothering to ask the driver to slow down.

_-_xxxxxx-

—just in time to see a young boy get thrown from a speeding van. The boy hit the black asphalt, landing harshly on his left side before rolling onto his back.

_'Oh my Ra, is he alright?!'  
_  
The young teen took off down the street, determined to help the motionless boy lying on the ground. He paled when he saw the growing pile of blood around the boy. He slid to a stop and dropped to his knees next to the boy. He immediately noticed the boy's similar hair.  
_'He looks like a cuter version of me...No, no, no, now isn't the time for that. Ra, I need to call an ambulance! He's bleeding like crazy!'_

The teen whipped out his phone and quickly dialed for emergency services.

_"119, what is your emergency?"_

"I need an ambulance, and fast! I was walking home, and when I turned to go down Nakatsu, I saw a young boy, maybe eleven, get thrown from a van that was surely going over the speed limit! He's bleeding badly, and doesn't seem to be conscious. He has bruises and small cuts all over the place, and—"

The teen turned the boy over and dropped the phone.

_"Sir?"_

There was a long, deep cut running down the boy's back. It was bleeding profusely, covering the young teen's hands in blood.

_"Sir?!"_ The dispatcher asked a bit louder, concern clear in her voice.

Picking the phone back up, the young teen sat, horrified. "H-he has...a long cut...o-on his b-back. It...It's bleeding...really badly..." The teen stuttered into the phone.

_"Sir, I need you to stay calm. An ambulance is on the way. Whatever you do, do not hang up the phone."_

The teen barely heard her, still terrified for the boy. He gently turned him back over and slowly lowered the boy's back onto the ground. Just then, he saw red and white flashes quite a ways down the street.

_'Thank Ra, the ambulance is just about here!'_

He looked back down at the boy to see his eyes open slightly, his gaze unfocused and unseeing. They opened to the most beautiful shade of amethyst he'd ever seen.

_'He's got...beautiful eyes...No, I've got to keep him awake. He could risk slipping into a coma!'_

_-_xxxxxx-

The boy opened his eyes to see someone leaning over him.

"Can you hear me? My name is Yami. The ambulance is almost here! Hold on, please, just don't go to sleep! It's likely you have a concussion; I don't want you to slip into a coma."

The boy didn't have the strength to respond. His body burned, his back on fire with pain. He coughed, a small amount of blood coating his mouth and trailing down the side of his chin. Darkness licked at the edges of his vision.

"No, no, no, wait! No, don't go to sleep yet! The ambulance is just down the street! Um, um...here, I'll tell you about myself, okay? You don't need to say anything, just focus on my voice. Um...uh...l-let's see, I'm seventeen, I'm in...uh...eleventh grade, and I, uh, um, I-I really like Duel Monsters. It's a card game with—no, _NO_! You need to—"

The boy tried to pay attention to this "Yami" person, but the darkness won. The last thing he saw before he fell unconscious was a pair of piercing, crimson eyes.

_-_xxxxxx-

"—stay awake." Yami finished as the boy's eyes closed again, no longer able to keep them open.

_'Dammit, he's unconscious again. Finally, the ambulance is here!'_

The ambulance slid to a stop, and the paramedics jumped out of the vehicle. They rushed over to where Yami and the boy with a gurney. They quickly lifted the boy onto a gurney, and quickly pushed the gurney into the back of the gurney. Yami ran with one of the paramedics. The paramedic climbed into the ambulance. He turned to Yami.

"You coming with, sir?" he asked.

Yami nodded with absolutely no hesitation, and scrambled into the back of the ambulance, which immediately sped off toward the hospital.

* * *

**A/N:** That's chapter one! A lot happened, but there is still more to come. Hopefully writing improved a bit, and as always, rate and review!

~Sinful Magician


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Here's chapter two for ya. Yay for progress!

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

_'Thoughts'_

**Disclaimer:** Yeeeeeaaah, I STILL don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, and I probably never will. (T ^ T)

* * *

The paramedics burst through the door of the emergency wing, pushing the gurney straight through to an empty room. Yami ran with them, until he was stopped and directed to the waiting room. As soon as he sat down in one of the many chairs, his phone rang.

_'Oh, it's Grandpa. He must be worried sick! What time is it right now?'_ Glancing around, he spotted a clock. _'7:45?! I'm almost an hour late!'_

He pressed the "accept call" button and placed it next to his ear.

"Hello?"

_"Yami?! Where have you been?! You said you were on your way home an hour ago!"_

"I'm at the hospital."

_"Oh my god, Yami, are you alright?! Are you hurt? What happened?"_

"No, no, no, I'm not the one who is hurt. I was walking home when I saw this kid get thrown out of a moving van! It had to be going at least eighty miles an hour! I ran over to see if he was okay, but he bleeding pretty badly from a wound on his back. I called an ambulance, and I wanted to see if he was going to be okay, so I went to the hospital with him."

_"That's all? You aren't hurt?"_

"No, Grandpa, I'm fine."

_"Thank gods. You almost gave this old man a heart attack."_

"I apologize."

_"I take it that you're staying there?"_

"If that's alright with you. I'd like to make sure he is alive and able to make a recovery. You should've seen him Grandpa. He was so pale and lost a lot of blood. I'm really worried. Who would throw a person out of a moving vehicle?!"

_"I don't know, but I'm going to come down to the hospital. I want to see the boy who kept my grandson out so late."_

"Grandpa, I really think—"

_"—I already know what you're going to say, but I'm on my way out, and you can't change my mind. Besides I'm a little worried about him too."_

Yami sighed. He knew that once his Grandpa made up his mind, there'd be no changing it.

"I'll see you when you get here, then. I'm still in the waiting room of the emergency ward. Please be careful." '_I don't need anyone else getting hurt tonight.' _Yami wanted to add, but decided to leave it a thought.

_"I'll be there soon."_

"Okay," Yami said, then hung up the phone.

-xxxxxx-

Yami stood as his grandfather approached him.

"Hello, Grandpa."

"Yami. Have you heard anything about him?" Grandpa asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Unfortunately, I haven't." Yami sighed, suddenly finding the floor more interesting. " I really do hope he's alright."

Just then, he noticed a nurse walking up to them. She looked young, her blonde curls reaching about her forearms.

"Are you the one that brought in that young boy earlier?" she asked.

Yami turned to her, nodding vigorously.

"Yes, yes, I am! Is he alright? Will he recover? Is there any permanent damage? Is he alive? Is he—" Yami started overloading the nurse with question after question, eager to know the state of the young boy.

"—Yami, slow down. She can't answer you if you don't give her a chance to speak." He gestured towards the nurse. "Please, we would like to know the condition of the child my grandson brought in."

"Well," the nurse started, "I wouldn't call him a 'child'. After some blood samples and tests, we discovered him to be seventeen! He—"

Yami's mouth dropped open. "Seventeen? _Seventeen?!_ Are you sure?"

"Yes, he is actually seventeen years old. Sure doesn't look it though. Anyways, he did survive the incident, and looks to make a full recovery, if and when he wakes up, that is. My name is Mai, by the way."

Yami sighed in relief. _'He's...alive. He's _alive! _I hope I get to know him, if only a little. He looked so small though. How could he possibly be seventeen?!'_

Mai cleared her throat, trying to regain the young teen's attention. Yami nodded, signaling for her to continue.

"There is something else I should...mention. In addition to any injuries due to be thrown out of the vehicle, there was large cut across his back that seems to have been made just a little while before being thrown out. Also, there are signs of...malnutrition and injuries previous to the cut and hitting asphalt, some merely scars, but many incredibly recent. I...I—" Mai looked to the ground, attempting to quell the oncoming tears before they spilled. "I think he is an abuse victim."

Yami paled, eyes widening in shock and flinching as if he'd been struck.

"An...a-abuse...victim? But he looks so...so...how could anyone hurt something as small and innocent-looking as him?!" Burning with rage for an unknown person, Yami began pacing back and forth. _'I can't believe this! T-there's...there's...no way he...I-it's not..It c-can't...Oh my Ra, is he to go back there?! Back to the person who caused all of this?! I can't let that happen!'_

He looked over at his grandpa, who'd been silent the entire time. The old man looked lost in thought, a distant look in his eyes. Returning his gaze to Mai, she almost winced. The teen had an almost broken expression in his eyes.

"We are going to alert the police, right? We can't possibly allow him to go back to wherever it is that he came from, right?!" Yami asked, desperate for consolation.

"Y-yes, we'll contact authorities, but we can't exactly file a report until the boy wakes up. We need his testament on what happened, so we'll have to wait."

Another nurse with short black hair came up and whispered something to Mai. Mai nodded and the nurse walked away.

"You can go in to see him now. But from what the other nurse said, he...doesn't look very well at the moment. He had to get stitches across the cut as well as some other things taken care of. So don't be surprised if you walk in and he's still asleep. He's in room 402. Hit the call button if he wakes up."

Yami thanked her, and rushed down the hallway, his grandfather, Solomon, trailing behind at a slower pace.

He turned a corner, and came to a stop.

_'402. Mai said he was in here.'_

Yami took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.

-xxxxxx-

A small gasp escaped his lips as he stepped into the room. The boy looked even smaller than before, his black, amethyst, and golden hair the only color in the room. There were several IVs and machines hooked up to the small boy, along with four chairs and a small table off to one side. Yami pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down. He was content just to watch the boy, folding his arms on the edge of the bed before resting his head atop.

He caught every little detail. The way the boy's hair was the same star as his, but lacking the blonde lightning bolts he had. He noted the way he still looked about six or seven years younger than his age. He took in the boy's pale skin and almost cherubic features. He saw the way the boy lay, looking lifeless but peaceful.

_'All this and I don't even know his name.' _Yami thought before drifting off into sleep.

* * *

**A/N: **I think I'll end it there...yeah, not much happened this chapter, but I felt it was necessary. The plot shall advance in the next chapter! *victory face* *\\(^o^)/*

~Sinful Magician


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Hopefully this chapter is better than the last. I know the last chapter was a little boring, but it was somewhat necessary. ^.^'

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

_'Thoughts'_

_"Quote"_

**Disclaimer: **You know the drill. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, I'm just borrowing their characters for the sake of story writing.

* * *

A ray of shining golden sunlight broke through the rift in room 402's curtains. A young boy slowly blinked awake. He attempted to sit up but was halted by a scorching pain in his back.

'_W-where am I? I've never seen this place before." _Looking around the room, he realized that everything was white. He also noticed that he was hooked up to many, many strange-looking machines. His eyes widened as the panic set in. His mouth opened in a silent scream, but he made no noise.

'_That's right. If I scream, I'll get punished worse than before.'_

The boy could only lie in the hospital bed, shaking and crying in fear while continuing to stare at the foreign machines surrounding it. He failed to notice the stirring boy sleeping hunched over next to his bed.

-xxxxxx-

Yami woke to a strange vibrating feeling under his arms and head. Slowly lifting his head, he looked around while stretching, and wiped the sleep from his eyes.

'_A...hospital? What in Ra's name am I doing in a hospital?'_

He thought for a moment, the events of last night slowly flooding into his mind. It was then that he remembered the shaky feeling he got that roused him a few minutes ago. Looking down, he gasped.

'_Oh my Ra, he's awake!' _He was about to press the call button when saw the boy's silent tremors. '_Wait, why is he trembling like that? Is he in pain?' _

Yami walked around the edge of the bed until he was facing the boy. All he saw was the boy, eyes clenched shut with tears spilling down his cheeks in rivers. Before he even registered what he was doing, he was holding the boy in his lap, pressing his face into his chest, tears soaking into his shirt. He felt him tense in his grasp, and he loosened his tight grip on the small boy.

The boy pulled away, and looked up, opening his eyes. Yami flinched, surprised by the intensity of the amethyst pools that were the boy's eyes. Before, it'd been just a glimpse, a tease, but now, he had the chance to just sit and drown. Drown in the swirling void hidden in the boy's eyes. All the emotions storming and crashing behind those eyes were too much, and he was forced to look away.

-xxxxxx-

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, the silence was broken with, "I don't know if you remember me or what happened, but my name is Yami. What is your name, little one?"

The boy just sat there, unsure of whether to answer the stranger. He normally felt terrified of restraints, but sitting here felt...safe. He felt...that he could trust this person, whoever he was. His deep voice was more comforting than he'd anticipated, and wanted to just listen to this "Yami" talk.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I can just call you 'little one' for now. Or, I could call you something else if you want."

"M-my name i-i-is Yu-Yuugi. I—" Yuugi cut himself off in the middle of his own sentence, suddenly afraid to continue.

"You...?" Yami offered.

"I..." He hesitated, thinking for a moment. "W-where are w-we?" _'I'm so embarrassed! He must see me as pathetic for stuttering so much. Pull it together, Yuugi!' _The boy mentally scolded.

Yami looked surprised for a moment. _'Has he never seen a hospital?'_

"You're in the hospital. Have you never been to one?"

"U-um...n-no, I h-haven't ever been to a hospital. W-why are a-all of these m-machines here? W-what are they d-doing?" Yuugi asked, praying not to get "disciplined" for asking too many questions.

"The machines? They've been helping you stay alive and monitor your status. Do you remember anything of last night?" Yami questioned. _'I'd like to know how much I need to explain.'_

Yuugi's gaze turned downward to the bed. After what seemed like an eternity, he answered, "I-I remember s-some o-of it, b-but other p-parts are still a l-little blurry."

"I see. What exactly do you remember?"

Yugi's gaze lowered to focus on the hands in his lap. It was at that moment that he realized he was still sitting in Yami's lap. He blushed a deep red, and bent his head to hide his face.

"I-I...t-there are too m-many blanks."

"Oh." Yami paused, before looking out the window, staring at nothing.

"I'm not sure what happened prior, but I was walking home yesterday around seven. I turned a corner, and all I saw was you get pushed out of a black van that didn't bother slowing down. You had a large gash across your back, and were bleeding pretty badly. I called an ambulance, and brought you here. I needed to make sure you would be okay, just for sake of mind, so I stayed the night. I'm almost positive you can leave soon, but the doctor will still have to check you over, and you'll probably have to stay here a few days." Yami explained.

Yuugi nodded, but his appearance hinted to sadness and despair. He sat, still in Yami's lap with his head bent, and eyes averted to an invisible spot on the sheet.

Yami frowned. _'He seems saddened by something...What is it, though?'_

"Yuugi, what's wrong?" Yami asked, lifting Yuugi's chin to meet his gaze. He gasped when he saw more tears spilling down Yugi's pale cheeks.

"I-I...d-don't...wa-ant..." Yuugi sobbed.

Yami furrowed his brow. _'I wish he'd be more clear, but I can't exactly blame him. But what is it that he doesn't want?' _

Mai's words from the previous night echoed in his mind. _"I think he is an abuse victim."_

It all became clear. _'of course! He doesn't want to leave the hospital! He thinks he's going to go back to whoever did this! I'm not going to allow it!'_

"You don't want...to leave the hospital?" Yami asked gently, aware of the boy's fragile state.

Yuugi only nodded, "I-I don't want t-to g-go back t-to—" Yuugi's immediately shut his mouth as he realized what he was about to say. _"But, if you tell anyone what happened, or about me for that matter, I, personally, will hunt you down and kill you in the longest, most painful way_._"_

Yuugi trembled, afraid of the man's threat, knowing he would make good on it. _'But I can't go back. He said he doesn't want me. Why would he want someone as worthless as me in the first place?' _

Yami pulled the boy back into a hug, and stayed like that until the boy fell asleep. He smiled softly, looking down at the sleeping boy in his arms and gently laid the boy down, covering him with the white hospital sheets. He pressed the call button, and left the the room to catch the nurse in the hallway.

-xxxxxx-

It was only about a half a minute before he spotted the nurse making her way down to the room.

"Hello again!" Mai exclaimed upon seeing the same teen outside 402. "So, he woke up? That was quick."

"Hello, Mai. He did, briefly, wake up but he's asleep again." Yami replied, omitting just how long Yuugi was awake.

"I see. Well, I'm going to check his vitals, and hopefully unhook a few of those machines." She opened the door, and went to walk in.

"Mai." She turned to Yami.

"I'll going to go to talk to my grandfather, but I'll be back in a little while." He turned and strode down the hallway.

"Alright." _'If I didn't know better, I'd say he were smitten,' _she thought to herself.

* * *

**A/N: **It's the end for now. So yay? Nay? Eh, whatever. Rate and review!

~Sinful Magician


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Another week, another chapter! I do believe I'll be updating weekly on Saturday, but my schedule is a little crazy, so I'll do my best to update regularly. ^.^' At any rate, on with the chapter!

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

'Thoughts'

_"Quote"_

**Disclaimer:** Unfortunately, I still do not own any part of Yu-Gi-Oh!, regardless of how much I want it.

* * *

The shop bell rang when Yami opened the door. Stepping inside, he called out, "Grandpa, I'm home!"

"Kitchen!" His grandpa called back.

Yami walked through the game shop, straight past the living room and into the kitchen. His grandpa was sitting at the table, reading a newspaper. "So, how is he? I know you wouldn't have left if he hadn't at least woken up first."

"He woke up, but he should be sleeping right now. Or at least, he was when I left. I'm going back later though. However," Yami sat down in the chair across from his grandfather. Grandpa folded the newspaper and set it down on the table. _'Yami looks serious,'_ he thought to himself. "There is something I would like to ask you before I go back to check on Yuugi."

"Yuugi? Is that the boy's name?"

"Yeah. Anyway, you remember how the nurse said she suspected abuse? I'm almost positive she was right. I was able to talk to Yuugi a little bit, when he woke up. The nurse doesn't know though. He looked scared to ask questions, and seemed to be anticipating something. And as soon as I mentioned that he would be able to leave the hospital soon, he started crying and looked absolutely terrified." He shuddered, remembering the horrified look on Yuugi's face.

Solomon frowned._ 'I think I know where this going...Guess I've no choice, though it'd be a great change of pace for this old man.'_

Yami averted his gaze to a spot on the table, uncertainty evident on his face. Yami rose his head to look at his grandpa.

"Do you think...he could live here? I know that he doesn't have anywhere to go, or at least, not somewhere safe. I...want to help."

Solomon sighed. He seemed to consider his options before sighing again. "I suppose we really have no choice, do we? He'll have to work in the shop, of course. He can sleep in the guest room, but it needs to be kept clean. It'll be a little more lively around here with another teen boy running around," he chuckled.

Yami smiled back at his grandfather. "Well, I've got to get back to the hospital. I don't want Yuugi to have a panic attack when he wakes up and I'm not there."

"Alright. Hurry off now."

Yami nodded, and turned to run back through the house and out the door.

-xxxxxx-

Yami reached the hospital in just under twenty minutes, switching between walking and running from the game shop. Out of breath, he entered the cool hospital building.

"Ah, kid, you're back!" He head Mai's voice call from the clerk desk. She'd been chatting with the clerk during her break. "Unfortunately, he woke up again after you left. He...wasn't too happy when he discovered you left the hospital. I tried telling him that you were coming back, but it didn't work, and we had to give him some sedatives to calm him down again."

Yami grimaced, remembering Yuugi's tears.

"I don't know what happened the first time he woke up while you were there, but he seems to have attached to you. You can go on down to his room, after you sign in. I assume he's still sleeping because it took a lot of sedatives to get him to sleep." Mai gestured to the line of rooms past her and held up a clipboard that held the sign in sheet.

Yami took the clipboard, signed it, and handed it back to her. "Thank you, Mai."

With that, he hurried past her, quickly making his way down to room 402.

-xxxxxx-

The first thing Yami noticed upon entering the silent room was that a few of the machines were missing. 'That's good. He's improving, then.' Yami pulled the chair from the corner and sat, his eyes never leaving the boy's fragile frame. Propping his elbows onto the edge of the bed, he rested his chin on the palms of his hands. 'I wonder when that sedative will wear off...'

Soon after, Yami's arms collapsed to form a small pillow in which he rested his head. The young teen had fallen asleep.

-xxxxxx-

**[Time Skip]**

-xxxxxx-

Yuugi's eyes slowly opened to a blinding light. Raising a hand to block the strong white light, he realized he was still in the hospital. He sighed in relief. 'I managed to stall another day...' He sighed again, only this time, it was with distress that he sighed. 'I really have no where to go now.'

A small movement in the corner of his vision caught his attention. He looked to his left and gasped at the sight of familiar star-shaped hair and black clothes. _'I...didn't ever actually thank Yami. He...saved my life. Why did he come back though? I-it...couldn't ha-ave...been for...me...No one would want me, so why delude myself into thinking this one person would?'_

-xxxxxx-

Yami woke with a start. 'Damn. Must've fallen asleep.' He inhaled sharply when he saw Yuugi awake, seemingly deep in thought.

"Yuugi?"

The boy fell out of the light trance he'd been in and his head snapped towards Yami.

"Y-yes?"

_'Here goes nothing!'_

"I have something important to ask you."

Several emotions flashed behind those eyes before he replied, "W-what i-is it?"

"I was hoping you would come to live with my grandfather and I."

-xxxxxx-

Time seemed to stop for the small teen. Yuugi couldn't believe the words he'd just heard._ 'H-he...wants m-me...to l-live...at...h-his house?'_ Yuugi just lay there, mouth opening and closing, as if searching for a way to answer.

"I know we just met and all, but I understand that you have nowhere to stay once you get released from the hospital. I have an extra room at my house, and Grandpa agreed, as long as you help out around the house and shop."

Yami saw the completely dazed expression on Yuugi's face. He nervously looked to the floor for answers.

"B-but it's alright if you don't want to! Don't feel pressured or anything, I was just—" Yami hurriedly covered, but was caught off by a low sob.

Tears trailed down Yuugi's cheeks.

_'He's crying?! Why?'_

"I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to make you upset! I just—" Yami was again cut off, but not by a noise. He was cut off by the beautiful sight before him.

Yuugi raised his head and smiled—actually _smiled_—through his tears._ 'By Ra, that is the most beautiful—no. I don't think there's a word to describe his radiance...'_ Yami thought, smiling softly.

"D-don't be sorry! I'm ju-ust re-e-ally ha-happy. T-thank y-you. I-I gladly ac-cept your of-offer, i-if I wouldn't b-be too m-much trouble." Yuugi answered, still crying, but still smiling. Albeit small, the smile was genuine and to Yami, he looked like an angel. Yami corrected himself._ 'A broken, fallen angel...'_

* * *

**A/N:** Chapter 4 done and over! Finally, some progress! I have this all planned out and everything, I just gotta get it written...Writing should be easier now that I got a storyboard...I'm done rambling now...Have a great day!

~SinfulMagician


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Wow, just look at the date...I profusely apologize for the late update! Some work piled up and I had a lot of cleaning to do, so I wasn't able to write much recently. I haven't much else to say other than "nyan"! Onwards, noble chapter! *rides piggyback on muse off into the sunset*

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

_'Thoughts'_

_"Quote"_

**Disclaimer: **No but seriously, I have the papers right here! *shuffles through scattered papers for five hours* I'd photocopy them, but there's no papers to copy...Damn, still don't own it.

* * *

Four days later, Yuugi was ready to be discharged from the hospital. Despite having agreed to live with Yami, Yuugi was still hesitant to leave the hospital. Yami had picked him up and gently placed him in the wheelchair sitting next to the bed. Mai had brought it up earlier, a bounce in her step when she heard Yuugi was well enough to leave.

Fidgeting in the chair, he waited to be signed out by Solomon, who had both introduced himself and was currently signing the prescription paperwork for painkillers and antibiotics. At some point during the four days after Yami had requested for him to move in, Solomon had filed for guardian papers, and with no trace of blood parents, they'd been processed quickly. He leaned back in the chair—wincing from the still healing laceration—and tried to calm his nerves. He trusted Yami, at least, enough to go live there, but after years and years of "discipline", he was afraid to mess up. Thinking of the man he used to live with, he frowned, steadily growing more anxious.

Now that it was clear Yuugi would recover, the doctor cleared him to leave. He handed Yami a list of instructions for changing the bandages and avoiding infection. Yuugi was still afraid, however, because he was unsure of this new arrangement. Now that the time for him to actually leave the hospital and move into the new house, he was filled to the brim with anxiety. He trusted Yami, at least, a little. He seemed to be a good person. But so had that man, at first.

_'I'll be careful. Really, really careful. Have to do everything the right way when asked to do so. Got to get it right. No mess ups. I...don't want punishment...though I'd probably do something to deserve it...'_

Gazing at the floor, lost in his own self-loathing, Yuugi was unaware of the intense stare of the other teen.

* * *

Yami, concerned for Yuugi, decided to wait with him in the room until Grandpa came back. He said he was going to go sign Yuugi out, and then they could finally—_finally_—leave. His eyes seemed to possess a mind of their own as they settled upon the small frame in the wheelchair. Yuugi sat silently, face obscured by his blonde bangs, continuously shifting in the chair. The tension was so thick you could slice through it with a knife.

_'Either the floor is really interesting, or he's completely immersed into whatever he's thinking about. '_

After several minutes with no change, Yami decided to break the silence. "Yuugi?" No answer. He tried again. Nothing. He walked over to stand in front of Yuugi, who was still focused on the floor. Kneeling down, Yami waved his hand in front of his eyes to try and snatch his attention.

It worked, but not in the way he was expecting.

Yuugi snapped out of his thoughts, jerking upwards to a stand that left his chair overturned behind him. Unfortunately, due to his surprise at the sudden reaction, Yami didn't move fast enough to evade being knocked over by Yuugi. He looked up at Yuugi, his mouth open in shock from being so abruptly but accidentally pushed backwards.

But just as he looked up, he noticed Yuugi shake his head before looking down at Yami. Their eyes connected, and Yuugi's expression turned from one of surprise to one of downright fear.

"I-I'm sorry!" Yuugi exclaimed, tears forming in his eyes. He darted past Yami and flung the door open, barreling out into the hallway and breaking into a full-on run.

Yami blinked in utter confusion, then scrambled to his feet and rushed to the already open door.

"Wait, Yuugi, it wasn't like that! It was my—!" Yami started to yell, but realized that the hallway was already empty and Yuugi had disappeared.

* * *

_'Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Yami's angry. He's going to chase me. He's going to catch me. I'll get punished! It'll be worse because I ran! I have to hide. Hide, hide, hide, somewhere to hide!'_

This is all that ran through Yuugi's mind as he raced down the hallways. Finally, after running for what seemed hours, his vision started to blur out.

Because he'd been running on adrenaline, the somewhat healed wound on his back had gone unnoticed. But now, the bandages on his back were starting to darken from white to crimson, and it made itself known to the boy.

_'W-what is—? My b-back! I-I forgot! But I have to h-hide! That's more...more...'_ Yuugi started slowing down, the pain increasing tenfold with every step. But he pushed on, continuing to run.

Turning a corner, the ground suddenly rushed up to meet the teen. Tripping on his own feet, Yuugi threw out his hands to break his fall to the ground. Everything blurred and he closed his eyes.

_'H-have...to...hide...don't...w-want...h-hurt...'_ Yuugi thought, falling into darkness and out of reality.

* * *

Yami, upon seeing that the hallway was already empty, ducked back into the room and pressed the nurse button. He stood in the doorway of the room, waiting for Mai or some other nurse.

_'Why did Yuugi run from me? Doesn't he know that he's injured? Could it be... because he thought I'd be upset that I lost my balance? It was my fault for suddenly breaking his thoughts that way. At any rate, I've got to find out where he went.'_

"Yami!"

Yami flinched away from the sudden voice next to him. "Mai?"

Mai placed a hand on her hip. "'Bout time! I had to call you seven times! If you're going to call me, at least acknowledge me!"

"S-sorry. I was thinking."

"Clearly. By the way, where's Yuugi? And why didn't he take his chair and you if he wanted to go somewhere?"

Yami looked up at Mai. "He...I accidentally startled him while he was thinking, and when he jumped up, he knocked me over. He apologized and then ran out of the room. It wasn't his fault though! He looked terrified of me, so—" Yami stopped mid-sentence.

_'That's it! That's why he ran! He must have thought that I was going to hit him! I've got to tell him that I'm not upset! As far as Yuugi is aware, the "discipline"—no, beatings—were normal. He doesn't know that there was anything wrong with the way he'd been living, nor that he'd never really done anything wrong. I'll teach him! I'll teach him that not everything is his fault!'_

Yami looked to the door, sudden determination sparking in his eyes.

_'I'll teach him...show him...all the wonderful things this life has to offer.'_

With that, he took off, running out of the room and down the hallway.

* * *

Yami ran, and ran, and ran. But it was as if he'd disappeared into thin air.

_'He really couldn't have gone all that far, could he? He was still healing; it had to hurt to run. He—'_

Yami's breath stopped as he turned the corner, and with a sense of déjà vu, nearly stepped on a collapsed Yuugi.

"Yuugi!" Yami bent down and picked up the boy, (bridal style, as it was easiest to carry him this way), holding him as if he were made of glass. Feeling something sticky from picking up Yuugi, he shifted the boy to look at his hand. Yami grimaced, looking from his blood covered hand to Yuugi, and back again.

_'I've got to hurry.'_

He turned around, and started sprinting back to the hospital room.

* * *

When Yami returned to the room, Mai and Yuugi's doctor, Dr. Akagi, were rushing about the room, preparing to treat any injury the runaway may have had. Upon seeing Yami crash through the door with Yuugi in his arms, they moved out of the way, and Yami gently placed him upon the bed. Seconds later, he ushered out of the room without being offered a second glance.

* * *

**[Time Skip]**

* * *

Sometime later, Dr. Akagi walked out and down the hall, passing Yami along the way. Yami had taken to sitting one the floor with his arms tucked under his knees, pulling them up to his chin, and out of the way of passing nurses and doctors. Mai also walked out, almost passing Yami as well, assuming that he'd headed toward the waiting room, rather than sit right outside the door. She reached a hand down and tugged Yami to his feet.

"No major damage done. He only reopened the stitches, which we've replaced. He'll be free to go home when he wakes. You can go in to see him now. He should wake soon." Mai said happily, grinning.

Yami only nodded, and turned to open the door. A hand caught his wrist, and he turned back to face Mai. "Thank you, kid." Mai let go of his wrist and strutted down the hall.

Yami twisted the door handle, stepped into the room, and quietly shut the door behind him. He grabbed a chair and placed it once more beside the bed. He sat down, and frowned, putting his chin in his hand and resting an elbow on his knee. He sighed, eyes falling upon Yuugi.

_'How do I fix this broken child that has probably never been shown anything but hate?'_

* * *

Yuugi woke to the strange feeling of being watched. He rolled his head to the left, and froze. Yami was sitting in a chair next to his bed, _again,_ only this time, he was wide awake, and simply gazing at him.

_'No! I was supposed to hide! But then he would've found me...And then I'd get hurt some more...'_

"Yuugi?"

"Y-yes?"

Yami seemed to think carefully about what he was going to say, his gaze shifting around the room before returning to Yuugi.

"Yuugi, I hope you aren't thinking about what happened earlier. I'm sorry I startled you. You just looked so tense, that I thought I would try to break the silence. But you didn't answer, and I ended up startling you. I'm sorry."

_'H-he's... me...'_ Yugi thought, eyes widening the slightest bit.

"And if you're thinking about _accidentally_ knocking me over, that wasn't your fault either. As I said, _I _scared _you, _and it was my fault for falling over. It was actually pretty funny when I thought about it. So don't blame yourself so much!"

"Y-you're...not...upset with me? But I—" Yami stopped him before he could finish.

"It was an accident. Happens all the time. So, no worries, okay?"

Yuugi turned away, considering what he said.

"Also, I would like to say this now."

"H-huh?" His eyes snapping back to Yami when he stood.

Yami stepped closer to the bed, bent down, and embraced Yuugi. Yuugi tensed in his grasp. They sat that way for a moment. Yami's chin upon his shoulder, and the warmth emanating from his body made Yuugi feel...safe.

_'I wish this would last.' _They both thought, unbeknownst to one another.

Finally, Yami continued. "I will never—" he pulled away to look directly into Yuugi's eyes.

"I will never, ever hurt you."

Yuugi's eyes widened, and was once more pulled into Yami's arms.

_'Maybe now, I can finally start putting the broken pieces back together.'_

* * *

**A/N: **That wraps up the fifth chapter. Again, I apologize about the date. Anyways, I'd expect to update every week/every other week, but as I said, my schedule looks like: uidtrykbghjcgukbgfjxtykvukhfnvlwmaMskwkamosndks snoa,Ankara,a,sldojs.

But now that the plot is actually going somewhere, writing should come a bit sooner. Well, I'm done rambling now.

~Sinful Magician


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Yay, new chapter! The plot is starting to go places! (^O^)／

Also, for this chapter, there is a small flashback. The "normal" formatting is inverted. So if something should be italicized, then it will be straight, and vice versa.

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

_'Thoughts'_

_"Quote"_

**Disclaimer: **Hmmm...yeah, no I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, the characters, or much anything else. I do, however own the plate of food sitting next to me.

* * *

The two stayed that way for quite some time, both reluctant to pull away. They did, however, once Yuugi was no longer shaking.

They now sat across from each other, Yami in his chair and Yuugi in the hospital decided to break the comfortable silence they had fallen into.

"I-I'm sorry for causing so much trouble."

Yami seemed surprised for a moment before looking away. "Like I said, you haven't done anything wrong, and there's no need to apologize. No one blames you."

Yuugi looked down at his hands, once again shifting and fidgeting. Before he could get too deep in thought, Yami looked back at him. He sensed the awkward silence, and saw that things were quickly going downhill, thus deciding chose to speak of something else.

"Well, at any rate, the doctor only had to replace some of your stitches, and you're still cleared to leave, so whenever you're ready, we can finally get out of this hospital. I'm sure you're tired of being cooped up in this room for so long. And eager to eat real food, rather than the low quality hospital stuff."

"I don't m-mind the room so much, and I thought the food tasted really good..." Yuugi started.

_"Also, there are signs of...malnutrition and injuries previous to the cut..."_

_'Right.' _Yami thought. _'Mai said that he was malnutritioned, so he probably didn't get very good food, and he probably didn't get much. No wonder he thinks that hospital food, of all things, tastes good. Damn! Whoever did this had better hide, because if I find them, I'll make sure they pay for this! The police won't be able to even recognize him once I'm through with him! I'll make jail look like a luxury!' _

Yami growled, barely able to control his sudden anger. Yuugi flinched, thinking Yami was upset with him or something related to him. Yami saw this, and his expression immediately softened, feeling slightly guilty for scaring Yuugi.

"Are you nervous about leaving?"

"I g-guess I haven't been outside in a while and I-I am a little h-hungry."

"Well, when we leave, we'll have to go to the house and see if we have something for you to wear. Then, tomorrow we'll go out and get some clothes and food. Is that alright with you?"

Yuugi appeared to consider his options, and replied with," T-that sounds w-wonderful. B-but really, you don't have to go through so much t-trouble for me..."

"It's no trouble to buy you actual clothes to wear, rather than a hospital gown," Yami stated.

Yuugi still looked downcast.

_'What can I say to him? He doesn't see that's it's really no bother.' _Yami sighed.

"Here, we'll grab something for you at the house, we'll eat something, then relax. Tomorrow, we'll buy you some clothes, and then I'll take you to this nice little ice cream parlor that just opened up. I've actually been wanting to go there, but I couldn't find a reason to go." Yami said, smiling at Yuugi, trying to cheer him up, even if only a little.

It seemed to work, on some degree, and Yuugi waited a moment before saying, "I...I think I'm ready to leave." It was obvious that he was nervous. Yami gently picked him up and place him in the wheelchair again.

Yuugi looked up at Yami. He seemed almost hesitant. He opened his mouth, before quickly closing it.

"Yuugi?"

"I-I have a question."

"Sure! Ask away."

"Wh-what..is..'ice cream'?" Yuugi asked quietly. "I think I've heard of it somewhere before, but I-I'm not sure."

Yami only stared in shock. He was completely caught off guard by the question.

_'How could he not—? Oh...he... has probably never had the luxury to try ice cream. I'll add it the list of 'Things to Show Yuugi'!'_

"Well, ice cream is a type of dessert. It's really cold, and made with dairy products, like milk. There are all kinds of different flavours, and some like to mix different ones together. They have sample options, so you can try some to see what you like before we buy any. You can't eat it too often though, because there is a lot of sugar in it."

"O-oh. It sounds i-interesting."

Yami moved behind Yuugi's wheelchair.

"Let's go!" Yami exclaimed.

* * *

Yami was sitting in the front seat of the car, glancing nervously at Yuugi from time to time. When they'd gotten downstairs, Yami got lectured by Grandpa.

**[Flashback - Start]**

_Yami pushed the chair down the hallway, towards the main entrance where Grandpa said he'd be waiting for them. _

_"Yami! Is Yuugi alright? A nurse came by to tell me you'd be a bit late." _

_Yami sighed. "Yes, Grandpa, Yuugi is alright. I just startled him a little, is all." _'Or a lot...' _Yami added silently. _

_Solomon sighed in relief. Then he immediately glared at Yami and thwacked him upside the head. "Yami! How many times have I told you not to sneak up on people?! You gave poor Yuugi here a terrible fright and he got hurt!" _

_He turned to Yuugi. "Yuugi, I'm sorry about my grandson. He's a bit dense sometimes." He turned back to Yami. "Yami, apologize!"_

_"N-no, Mr. Mutou, I-I'm fine! Yami already apologized, and I guess it was an accident. T-that's what Yami s-said, anyway," Yuugi stuttered out, obviously still a bit anxious around other people. _

_Solomon sighed. "Fine. I'll let it slide this time, Yami, but only because Yuugi said that you'd already apologized. And Yuugi?" _

_"Y-yes, Mr. Mutou?" Yuugi asked, tensing in anticipation._

_"It's alright to call me Solomon or Grandpa. Whichever is easier for you. Now then, let's get going." _

_On that note, all three walked, (well, two walked, and one was wheeled out), to the car. With the aid of Yami, Yuugi was placed in the back seat, Yami in the front, and Grandpa in the driver's seat._

**[Flashback - End]**

It wasn't particularly the incident with Grandpa that had him worried, though. It was mainly that, while he didn't say anything, Yami had felt Yuugi go completely tense when he placed him in the car. It was then that Yami realized that it would be the first time Yuugi would be riding in an automobile after he was injured. Thus, Yami was checking to make sure Yuugi was okay. He didn't want to ask, however, in case it made Yuugi uncomfortable.

* * *

It was a very short ride, only lasting about ten minutes, but to Yuugi, it had lasted forever. Finally, they reached the house. Yami went around and grabbed the foldable chair in the back, unfolded it, and then opened Yuugi's door. Once more, Yuugi was picked up and transported to the wheelchair.

_'Every time he picks me up, it feels like he is scared to drop me or something. He's very careful.' _Yuugi thought, the note catching his curiosity.

"The doctor said that you only have to use the chair until tomorrow. Then you're free to be about, just not doing anything too strenuous." Yami commented once they were inside the house.

"I suppose we should go up to my room to see if we can find you some temporary clothes to wear."

"O-okay."

Yami wheeled Yuugi over to the stairs and picked him up again. He carefully but quickly carried him up the stairs, and placed him on the edge of his bed. Then he left to go get retrieve the chair from downstairs. Yuugi took the chance to look around Yami's room.

The room was a rectangle with a small cutout in the upper left corner. A desk was placed in the cutout, kept neat with a single lamp sitting on it. A window sat a little behind the desk, a black nightstand underneath it. The bed was centered along the length of the wall, a second black nightstand to the left of it, making one on each side. The crimson and black comforter Yuugi sat on was incredibly soft and made of something silk-like to the touch. Directly across from the bed sat another cutout in the wall, holding a rathe large tv with several gaming systems hooked up to it.

_'I like his room. H-hopefully mine–no, I'm jumping to conclusions. I-I don't know if I-I have a room. That man never gave me one. I'm not worth wasting a room for.'_

* * *

Yami walked back into his room to see Yuugi looking distant, similar to when they were in the hospital.

_'Damn it, he must be thinking again. Was is it that gets him so lost? Does he relive what happened? The abuse? Or is he—?' _

Yami gasped, realization sparking and rage setting his eyes ablaze.

_'I swear to Ra, if that fucker did anything to Yuugi—! I'll kick his ass so hard, he'll split the week into eight Ra-damned days!' _Yami walked a little closer, still unnoticed by Yuugi. _'He...looks okay on the outside, but...how the hell do I know how much damage is on the inside? How much has he suffered? How do I know how many pieces he's been shattered into? Mostly though...will I even be able to pull him out of this blackened void? How can I...how can I show him...how to love? '_

* * *

Yuugi's thoughts faded out as he became aware of another presence in the room. He looked up only to see Yami standing not far from him, bristling with anger.

'_I-it's just like earlier...What have I done? I need to apologize in order to avoid any possible punishment...'_

"Y-Yami?" Yuugi called out quietly.

Yami blinked once, twice, before realizing that he'd been called.

"Yeah?"

Yuugi stood up from the bed, only to drop to his knees and bow as lowly as he could. "I-I'm sorry."

Yami's mouth fell open in shock. _That_ was certainly _not_ what he was expecting. Yuugi was sorry? _Yuug_i was _sorry_? What was he apologizing for? He hadn't done anything but sit silently! Why would he apologize for absolutely nothing?

"W-what in the world are you apologizing for?" Yami stuttered out.

"Y-you looked angry, and people are only a-angry when they're drunk or when I-I've done something incorrectly or inefficiently. It must have been the latter because I know you haven't had any drinks today. I-I am unsure of what I have done, but I apologize." Yuugi explained, still bowed.

'_He is...he...what?' _Yami couldn't process what he was hearing. Just because he looked angry, Yuugi assumed it was his fault? '_Oh Ra...I really need to find out what he's gone through. I'll need to take this slow, though, or I could risk him shying away more than he already does. No matter what, I'll uncover his story.'_

Yami sighed and walked until he stood in front of Yuugi, promptly sitting. Yuugi went rigid, surely waiting for him to strike. Yami reached down and placed a hand under his chin, lifting Yuugi's gaze to his. He stared into those mesmerizing eyes a moment before pulling Yugi into hug, similar to when they were at the hospital. After a short while, Yuugi relaxed into his firm yet loose grip.

"You haven't done anything. I was only thinking about someone that I dislike. I am not, nor do I plan to be, angry or upset with you. Not everyone gets angry because you made a mistake. As I said, you haven't done anything wrong." Yami paused, pulling Yuugi closer, hugging him tighter.

"Not everything is your fault."

Yami pulled away to once more look at Yuugi directly.

"Don't blame yourself so much, okay?" He asked, a gentle smile playing on his lips, eyes soft and bright.

"O-okay." Yuugi nodded.

"Now then," Yami said, pulling Yuugi to his feet. "Let's get you some clothes!"

* * *

Yami found some clothes that he hadn't gotten rid of yet, and they would work for sleeping in. They were still big on Yuugi, but they were usable. The set of clothes would also double as Yuugi's clothes for the next day because Yami didn't have any normal clothes that fit him without constantly slipping. However, the clothes consisted of a pair of black gym shorts and a plain white t-shirt that hung loosely on Yuugi when he had tried it on.

Since they had found some clothes, Yami decided that they should shower before eating, seeing as they were in the hospital for quite some time. That had presented problems of its own. Yami had to explain shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, as well as how to work the shower and told him to take his time, since this was, to Yami's guess, his first time showering. Yuugi, to Yami's surprise, didn't take longer than fifteen minutes.

He looked up from his waiting place beside the door when he heard it open. Yuugi walked out, hair damp and in the temporary clothes Yami had given him. But what caught his attention most was the new, faint smell in the air. It was Yuugi. Leaning the slightest bit closer, he discovered that Yuugi, being clean for what was most likely the first time in a long time, smelt faintly of fresh cotton and vanilla.

'_He smells really nice...Ack! Get yourself together, Yami!'_

"T-thank you for allowing me to use your shower. I didn't know there were things that could get me clean this quickly." Yuugi said.

"You can use it whenever you like. I usually take a shower everyday. As long as you don't make a mess, anything in this house is free to use, with the exception of Grandpa's room."

Yuugi nodded in understanding. Yami smiled and walked past him into the bathroom, swiftly inhaling on his way in, attempting to catch more of the wonderful smell. Yuugi moved next to the bathroom door and sat down on his knees, waiting for Yami.

When Yami finished up, they both walked downstairs, where there were already bowls of soup waiting on the table.

"I heard the shower running, and assumed you'd both be down soon, so I made dinner. The doctor said for Yuugi to eat easy foods in smaller amounts because he went without for so long. I thought using leftover vegetables would be good for soup. Eat up." Solomon said, walking in from the living room. He took a seat across from Yami and Yuugi, who were seated next to one another.

Yami chuckled, seeing Yuugi struggling to eat without merely wolfing it down. '_I wouldn't blame him.'_

"T-thank you. This food is really good." Yuugi said between spoonfuls of soup.

"Anytime. Yuugi, I'll explain the few rules of this house tomorrow, but for now, get some rest. From what I understand, Yami is taking you shopping tomorrow morning, so you'll need it if you decide to go to the mall."

Solomon stood as the other two finished eating. "I'll be heading off to bed. Don't stay up too late. And Yami, show Yuugi where he'll be staying." Solomon left the two to retreat to his room.

"Well," Yami stood. "I'll show you where to sleep. I'm sure you're tired."

Yuugi followed Yami up the stairs. They stopped at the door directly across from Yami's. Yami twisted the knob, pushing the door open. He moved aside, allowing Yuugi to walk in.

Yuugi was in awe. The room was a mirror image of Yami's room. There were minor differences, of course, including the fact that the tv was smaller and the furniture was charcoal rather than black. He also noted that his comforter was made of a different material than Yami's, but whatever it was, it was soft. His comforter, unlike Yami's crimson and black, was amethyst and charcoal, matching the furniture while also adding color to the room. Yuugi was speechless.

"This is your room. Grandpa's only rule is to keep it clean. I hope it's not too dark for you. This was originally the guest room, but it's yours now."

Yuugi's head whipped to the right, staring directly at Yami.

"M-mine? M-my...own r-room?" Yuugi asked, still unbelieving.

Now it was Yami's turn to be shocked. "H-have you...not had a room before?" He asked with wide eyes.

"N-no."

'_Just how did he not have? Or maybe I should ask what he DID have?' _

Yami smiled at him. "You have one now. From today, everything in this room is yours."

Yuugi looked to be on the verge of tears. He ran to Yami and hugged him, again, leaving Yami surprised before returning it. Yuugi looked up at Yami, and just as before, his breath caught when Yuugi smiled. But this time...this time, it was somehow even more entrancing.

"T-thank you."

"There's no need to thank me."

Yami picked Yuugi up, pulled back the covers of the bed, and layed him down. He walked to the door and flipped the switch, turning the lights off.

"Goodnight, Little One."

"G-goodnight, Yami."

With that, Yami closed the door, and entered his own room. Laying down in bed, he sighed.

'_I can't believe he's never had a room. There's so much I don't know. But I do know that I will do my best. I'll show Yuugi all the things he never had...even...even love. I'll show love to Yuugi. Somehow..."_

* * *

**A/N: **Holy roly poly, that was long! Yay for plot progression! I know it was angsty; it was supposed to be. But chapter 7 is in the works! Yami and Yuugi go shopping… ^.^

That will be all for now. I don't normally do this, but for this chapter, I suggest Fujita Maiko's "Mienai Tsuki" and "Koi ni Ochite". These two songs are in Japanese, but I really like them, and played them the whole time writing this chapter.

See you!

~Sinful Magician


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **Hello! Yes, I'm still alive and writing, just got pretty busy with work. So, I have to say, I had some fun writing this chapter, and I was pretty excited about posting it… :P

Also, in apology for the long wait, I made this chapter extra long. That, and it was kinda cute to write, in my opinion.

"Dialogue"

_"Other End of the Phone Dialogue"_

_'Thoughts'_

_"Quote"_

**Disclaimer: ***cries* I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!... *looks to left* Oh well! Time to play video games!

* * *

Yuugi blinked the sleep away from his eyes. Despite the strange comfort of the bed, he hadn't slept much. Instead, he'd spent much of the night pondering over the day. A large part of him had been expecting the door to be thrown open, an angry Yami storming in, and then a beating, just like he was used to. Yet, as he lay there, he had a small inkling of a feeling that he would be fine. Not that he was safe, but that he would remain unharmed throughout the night. This place was incredibly different from his life with the man that had "raised" him.

First, there was the strange thing called a "shower". He'd never seen one before. The man had only given him a rusty bucket, an old rag, and some very, very cold water. But the shower had warm water, soap, and seemed more effective. Then, after that, he was given food. It was the most he could remember eating at one time, it tasted really good, it was fresh, and probably the strangest of all, he hadn't had to do anything to get it. Before, the man would've made him scrub the blood off the basement's concrete floor, or beat him more severely than usual.

But perhaps the most surprising thing was when Yami gave him his own room. The man had never even offered him one, and he'd never owned anything before. It felt...strange. The bed was more comfortable than the hospital, but he still felt worried that it wasn't going to last. Any minute now, Yami would be angry, maybe angry enough to call the man. That was what scared him most. He would upset Yami enough to somehow find a way to contact that man, and convince him to come and take him away.

'_Yami...'_

He was...Yuugi couldn't describe it. While still being absolutely terrified of Yami, he also felt like he could trust him. He gave off a strange warmth and comfort that was both captivating and frightening. It... he... was confused. Usually, placing people had been easy. They were either good, like the nice blonde lady that had occasionally brought his food at the hospital, or _that _man, who was definitely bad. But Yami...he wasn't sure.

Brushing his thoughts away, he shifted his head to look at the small clock on the nightstand. The small blue numbers read 6:38 am. Unsurprised at his waking before the sun had fully risen, Yuugi pulled back the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, feet making no sound upon reaching the ground.

_'I should get ready. I don't know what's expected of me yet, and I need to be prepared.' _Slowly opening the door and peering out, he squinted through the dim lighting. He crept down the hallway to the bathroom and quietly closed himself inside. After a quick shower, still hesitant to use it without permission. He redressed and stepped back out into the hallway. Yuugi stopped next to Yami's door, kneeled down, and patiently waited for him to wake up.

* * *

Yami was awoken by a large beam of sunlight falling across his face. He sighed and turned over to face away from the window.

_' Why does the morning have to come so early?' _Groaning, he forced open his eyes, and glared at the clock.

_'8:23? Why am I up so early? Did I plan something with the guys?' _Then a small flash of thought ran through his mind, and he remembered. _'That's right! I'm taking Yuugi to the mall today to get him clothes. I should get up and see if he's awake yet. I doubt it though. We went to bed late and he seemed worn out.' _

Yami picked himself up off the bed with a grant and yawned, stretching his arms. He made his way over to the door, and after swinging open the door, striding across the hallway to Yuugi's room.

_'That's odd. I could have sworn I closed this door last night.' _A quick sweep of his eyes told him the room was vacant. _'He's not...where could... hmm. I hope he didn't—oh, Ra, what if he ran away?!' _

Panicked, he turned to run out the door, but froze. There, kneeling next to his door with his head bowed, was Yuugi.

"Y-Yuugi..."

The boy stiffened. "Y-Yes? H-How can I assist you?"

Yami was taken aback. _'What the hell? Oh Ra, how long has he been sitting there? He isn't a slave. I-Is this...how he lived before?' _

"Y-Yuugi... Why are you sitting there?"

"I-I'm sorry. Y-You didn't say where to wait, so I f-foolishly assumed to wait to assist you next to your door. Where do you wish that I wait, so that I m-may not make the same m-mistake?"

"Nowhere."

"P-Pardon?"

"You don't need to wait anywhere. You can do whatever you want, just let someone know before you go out."

Yugi sat in complete shock and disbelief. Did Yami just give him complete freedom? It'd be...the first time...No, surely he wanted something out of it.

"What do you wish for in return?" Yuugi asked quietly.

Yami raised an eyebrow, frowning. _'Why does he feel that everything has a price tag on it?' _

"Absolutely nothing. All I want is for you to be happy, whatever that may mean. Now, " smiling, Yami stretched out his hand," let's finish getting ready so we can get to the mall!"

Yuugi stared at the hand before him, hesitatingly reaching for it with his own trembling hand. His fingers grazed Yami's, then fully grasping his hand, feeling as though it meant more than just a way to get off the floor.

He was being lifted into a new way of living, a fuller, happier one.

Despite that, he knew that he still had a long way to go before he could ever recover from his past, if that was possible. But a small spark of hope was ignited in the broken child, just enough to make itself known.

* * *

After patiently waiting for Yami to shower, the two headed downstairs to eat. Yami pulled a chair out from the table, and instructed Yuugi to sit. He threw on a black apron, and turned to Yuugi.

"Alright, now all we have to do before we can leave is eat. What would you like for breakfast?"

"U-um. I-I know what breakfast is, but I don't know a-any specific foods. I didn't have v-very many options before I came h-here." Yuugi said, tilting his head in confusion.

_'He's stuttering a bit less than before. Maybe he's warming up to me? He's cute when he's confused, though.' _Yami grinned, then realized that last thought. _'Ack! Stop thinking that way!' _

"Well, we could have eggs and toast, then. It won't take too long to make, and it's pretty good." Yami offered. Yuugi nodded his approval before lowering his eyes to the table in front of him.

_'I'll make less for him, considering that his stomach should get used to eating normal amounts of food after living on such a tiny diet for so long.' _Yami sighed. _'How much was he eating before? Despite the IV drip from his time at the hospital, he still looks incredibly thin.' _A thin wisp of smoke made its way to his nose, and he caught the scent of something burning. Looking down, he quickly scooped the egg out onto a plate.

_'That was close. Just about burned it.' _The toaster beeped, signaling that the toast was done. Grabbing a jar from the fridge, he spread a light layer of raspberry preserves on the toast, placing a piece on each of the plates. Satisfied, he turned back to Yuugi, said plates in hand.

Yuugi hadn't moved, his eyes still glued to the table in front of him. _'He looks lost again.' _Yami sighed again. _'I've been doing that a lot lately, haven't I?' _

Slowly, he walked to the table and set the plates down, away from Yuugi. _'Considering what happened last time I broke his thoughts, I should probably leave those away from him, until I've got him settled.'_

Leaning down, he waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Yuugi?"

Receiving no reply, he slowly reached out, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Yuugi tensed, blinking. Seeming to have regained focus, he looked up from the table to the plates on the other side of the table.

"Breakfast is ready," Yami said, a small smile forming on his lips. He picked up the plate with less, and set it in front of Yuugi. When Yuugi looked down at it as if it had jumped up and started dancing, Yami spoke up.

"From what the doctor said, you weren't eating very much before. I cooked a little less for you, because we have to get your stomach used to eating normal amounts a food. If I gave you too much, it'd come right back up once you were done. We'll take it in small steps, in order to build up your stomach. If it's too much, though, you don't have to eat all of it."

What he got next was not what he expected.

"T-this is...for m-me?" came the quiet reply.

Yami's brow furrowed in confusion. "Of course. I wouldn't ask you what you wanted and then not give you any. Why?"

Yuugi dipped his head in apology. "P-please excuse my stupidity. I-I was confused because I-I've never..." He trailed off, the man's words ringing in his ears.

Realising that he sounded a little harsh, Yami apologised, "I'm sorry if I sounded rude. Don't ever consider yourself any degree of stupid. You aren't, and it was my mistake."

Then it registered what Yuugi had actually said. "You've never...?"

Yuugi shook his head."N-no, it's nothing."

Yami stood, walking around the table to Yuugi. Replacing his hand on his shoulder, he used the other to tilt the smaller's face, lifting Yuugi's eyes to his. "It's alright. You can tell me. I won't tell anyone else unless you give the okay."

Yuugi hesitated, not wanting the man to find him. He didn't want to go back. But...Yami...he offered everything, and had yet to ask for something in no return. The very least he could do was give Yami the one thing he had asked for.

_'But he could get ideas...bad ideas...I don't want...this brief reprieve to end. I know it will, but for now...I think I...I can trust him. I...want to. I want him to know. I don't understand why this kind person has such worry over something as petty as me. I know that this can't possibly end well. But, against I feel...that he needs to know. He deserves to know. I will always serve the one that owns me, regardless of what they may ask. Right now, my only purpose is to please Yami, and I cannot afford any mistakes. Not after last time. I might not survive. Yami says he only wants me happy, but I know that can't possibly be what he actually wants. I need to determine his motive, what he wants.'_

The teeny spark from earlier made itself known.

'_What if he has no motive? What if he truly wants you happy? What if...you push away the one person who has done nothing but care for you this far? It's farther than HE ever did. Why don't you wait a little longer before placing him into the 'bad'?' _A small voice whispered in the back of his mind.

'_Alright. I'll wait and see. He's too confusing. I've been feeling strange since I met him, like a pull. I'll wait, just until I find out what this 'pull' is. Then I'll decide if I should trust him.'_

* * *

All the while, Yami had been patiently waiting, seeing all types of just...everything flitting behind those eyes. From hesitation to hurt, to confusion, to hope, to...now they were glazing, as they often did when Yuugi started thinking in depth.

'_No, I can't have him in a trance at the moment. I need to know what he was going to say. It could be crucial to his recovery, or to his past, or both.'_

"Yuugi?" he called. He seemed to catch him right on the edge of a trance, lucky enough not to have fallen into it yet.

"Y-Yes?" came the soft reply, those eyes blinking, regaining their stormy haze in a matter of seconds.

"Little One, you were about to say something about never…?"

"O-oh. I…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to." Yami said, trying to give the boy a way out.

"No, I...I want to tell you, but...I-I can't. The words, they just...get stuck." '_Because of HIM. Further proof that even if he doesn't want you, he will always control you, even if you haven't known him long.'_

"That isn't true. He, whoever he may be, does not control you. You are your own wonderful self, Yuugi."

Yuugi gasped in surprise, not realizing he'd spoken aloud. Taking a deep breath and looking away, Yami let his hand fall.

"I-it's just that...I-I was confused b-because…"

"It's alright. Take your time," Yami encouraged.

"I-I was confused because...this i-is...the first t-time I ha-ave had more than o-one meal in just a few hours. Where I-I lived before...food was far and between. T-though I was a very bad child, so o-of course I-I wasn't allowed mo-ore than what I deserved."

Yami knew that Mai's abuse theory had to have been true; she was a nurse. Yami knew he'd be fragile, but there was nothing that could've prepared him for this. But seeing the aftermath and hearing those words, Yami's resolve only strengthened. The only problem was, Yuugi was frightened. Obviously he would be, but it seemed specific, and it only came with when he would cut himself off in the middle of a sentence, or the struggle just now to get that small bit of information.

'_I need to find out what is causing this fear. I need him to tell me about his past. That's the only way I can help him. However...we'll go at his pace. I am not going to rush him into this. We need to go slow, and get everything, when he's comfortable. I...can't stand to see him upset. For now, though, I'm focusing on his happiness. I think the trip to the mall will do more than I previously thought. I hope he's excited to go out and get fresh air.' _

Yami glanced at the clock above the fridge.

'_It's already 9:45. We should get going. First, though, I gotta help Yuugi. I seriously can't imagine how horribly he must have been treated to question breakfast.'_

"Yuugi, everyone deserves to eat, regardless of their behaviour. And from what I've seen in just a few days, you never misbehave anyway. You're quiet and follow the rules. No matter what you do, as long as you live here, you'll have three, full and healthy-well, mostly healthy-meals a day," Yami smiled gently, "so eat up, and I can show you to the mall!"

He received only silence before a nearly inaudible, "O-okay,".

With that, Yami sat back down in his chair, both beginning to scarf down their breakfast before it got any colder, and Yami stealing unnoticed glances at Yuugi.

* * *

Yuugi sat nervously shifting in the passenger seat of the car, still clearly uncomfortable in vehicles. Yami attempted conversation, but only got half-hearted replies, as Yuugi stared out the window.

"So," Yami started, "did you like breakfast at all?"

Yuugi crossed and uncrossed his legs for the sixth time since they started moving. "I-it was very good."

Yami glanced over at Yuugi, filled with more worry than a mother.

'_We're backed to limited conversation. Did I push him too far earlier? I gave him several ways out, though, and he himself said he wanted to tell me...What can I do to fix you?'_

Yami slowed as they pulled into the parking space.

"Yuugi?"

Like most of the time, he received no reply. Reaching over, he placed a hand on his shoulder. As he expected, Yuugi jumped, eyes darting about in panic.

"We're here," Yami said, Yuugi's eyes snapping over to him.

"S-sorry. I was thinking," Yuugi said quietly as they exited the car. It beeped twice, signaling the lock.

"Alright, Yuugi, let's get you some clothes!" Yami smiled, pulling Yuugi along.

"W-wow. Are we r-really going t-to shop there? I-it's huge!" Yuugi exclaimed, slightly intimidated by the large building.

"That's why I said we should start in the morning. Don't worry though. I know where most of the stores are, and they have maps in case we get lost," Yami explained.

Walking through the doors, Yugi was once more in awe at just how large the mall was. It was three stories tall, with high ceilings, a beautiful fountain in the center, vendor carts and maps scattered, and stores lining the 'walls'.

Yami pulled Yugi over to a nearby bench, and sat.

"Before we get going, I want to figure out _where_ exactly we should go," Yami thought for a moment and looked over to Yuugi. "Do you like tight clothes or loose clothes?"

"I-I don't know," came the quiet response.

"Hmm, do you like dark colours or light colours?"

"I-I don't r-really know that e-either," Yuugi answered. Yami's eyes narrowed. _'He seems almost afraid to answer me.'_

"Okay. We can figure that stuff out along the way. For now, we can just head to a few of my favourite stores. If you don't see anything you like, we'll try some other places I know of," Yami said, nodding to himself as if to reaffirm his plan.

With that, he stood up and offered a hand to Yuugi for the second time that day. Pulling him off the bench, they walked to the other side of the mall.

* * *

Standing in the entrance to the store, Yami smiled lightly down at Yuugi.

"Alright, we're here. This is my favourite place to shop for clothes. If you see something that looks interesting or that you want to try on, just grab it in your size, and you can try it on later. Do you know what size you are?" Yami mentally facepalmed. _'Idiot! Of course he doesn't know!' _

"N-no."

"Since what you have on is just a little too big, I'd say that you're probably only a size or two smaller than me, but we can try different sizes until we find what works. Once you have the clothes you want to try on, just head to the fitting rooms in the back and talk to the lady. She'll open a room for you, and you can try on what you found, and see if you like anything. Do you want me to come with you to help?" Yami was actually hoping Yuugi would accept his offer, he didn't want Yuugi to be frightened by the store.

"I-If...it's not too m-much trouble..." Yuugi stuttered, thankful that Yami wasn't going to just leave him in the store. _'I hope...this doesn't require payment later. The cut on my back still really hurts.' _Yuugi thought.

_'Yes! I can protect him, and be on the watch. And maybe, just maybe, I'll learn a few new things about him as well.' _Yami internally cheered. Leading Yuugi into the store and down one of the aisles, Yami couldn't help but smile. _'Today will be a good day.'_

Yuugi looked around at all the clothes surrounding him, feeling more than a little claustrophobic._'There's so many options...' _

Much of the store consisted of leather, sleeveless shirts, and few accessories. A black, sleeveless shirt with vibrant blue lotus flowers adorning the lower right quarter caught his eyes, and he stopped to look at it.

Yami, noticing that Yugi had stopped, followed his line of sight to the shirt. _'I bet he'd look good in it.'_

"Do you like that shirt of there? The blue and the black one?" Yami asked, walking over to look closer at it, with Yuugi behind him._'It really is a nice shirt.' _

"Here, do you want to try it on?" Yami held up two of the shirts, each in a different size. Yuugi nodded slowly, and if Yami had squinted, he could've sworn he saw a flash trace of a smile before it was gone again.

The two continued to wander the shop, slowly but surely gathering a decent amount of clothes to try on. All the while, Yuugi remained wary of the other shoppers and the shop's staff, yet felt slightly reassured due to Yami's presence. _'There it is again. That 'pull' feeling. From before.'_

To Yami's great surprise, Yuugi even selected a few pairs of leather pants, though he had yet to try them on. Each with an armful of clothes, Yami led Yuugi to the dressing rooms set up in the back of the store. Yami spoke briefly with a lady behind a counter, and she handed a plastic number card to him.

Walking to their left from the counter, they came to a row of stalls and a tri-fold mirror at the end. Yami hung the clothes in an empty stall. He hung the number card on the outside of the door. Yuugi glanced at it in confusion.

"The number on the card represents how many items we have, so they can make sure we don't steal anything. Not that we would, but other people have. It also gives other people an idea of which stall they should wait for if they're all full," motioning to the door, he continued, "All your clothes are in there. When you go in, you can try them on. If something feels uncomfortable, is too big or too small, or if you just don't like it, put it on the hook to the left. If you do like it and it fits right, put it on the hook to the right. I'll be waiting right out here if you need anything. If you aren't sure about something, you can show me, and I'll give you my opinion, if you want it," he finished.

Yuugi nodded his understanding, trying to get everything in his mind to stop swirling around. He stepped into the tiny room and locked the door.

'_I hope he finds a good amount of clothes. I really like that lotus shirt...He _really _got me when he picked out those leather pants. He looked so cute when he was acting all shy about it.'_

Yami lightly smacked himself.

'_What the hell? It's been like that ever since that first moment that I saw him at the incident. All week, he keeps invoking these thoughts in my head. What does it mean? I mean, I already knew that I swing for the same team, but I can't honestly be attracted to...Yuugi, can I? He's already been through so much, and we still haven't even met with the police. They're going to meet with us as soon as possible, but Yuugi is still recovering. His back is going to scar, they couldn't get around it. But no, I'm getting off subject. Even if...by some tiny chance, that I _do _feel something for Yuugi, I can't let it grow. It's too_—'

His thoughts were tossed out the window when a small voice asked, "W-what do you think?"

Yami's eyes snapped up to the boy standing in the doorway to the dressing room. A half a second later, his jaw hit the ground in complete surprise.

Yuugi stood there, in the sleeveless lotus shirt from before. The electric blue brought out blue highlights in his eyes that he hadn't known were there, making them look even deeper and intense. The black contrasted with his pale complexion. It clung and hung in all the right places, despite his obvious thin and tiny frame. Yami's eyes trailed down, and widened impossibly further. Yuugi was in a pair of leather pants, the black matching that of his shirt. The skin tight pants made his legs seem longer, and if he stood straight, he looked taller than he was. A thin, silver chain was fastened to the pants, and hung loosely by his left—Yami's left, Yuugi's right—leg.

Yami could only stand, mouth moving as if he was trying to say something. He couldn't form a thought, much less words.

"Y-Yami?"

Yuugi was slightly worried that Yami hadn't answer him. _'Do I look that bad? I kind of like these clothes, but maybe I shouldn't get them if I they don't look good. I don't think anything will look good on me...'_

"S-sorry, you just caught me off guard. They suit you even better than I thought they would! Wow," Yami finally answered, dispelling the negative thoughts.

"D-do you really th-think so?" Yuugi asked looking down at his attire.

"I do. But the real question is: do you like them? How do they fit?"

Yuugi looked back up at Yami, "I-I think they fit o-okay. They're comfortable."

"If you like them, then let's get them."

"Th-Thank you. Please e-excuse me," Yuugi said, disappearing behind the door.

"Take your time," Yami said.

_'Damn, I forgot what I was thinking about.'_

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, yes, the trip to the ice cream parlor is in the next chapter…

**VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: **Someone in the comments [on **AO3**] very nicely pointed out quite a few flaws in regards to Yuugi's behaviour; some that I was trying to work out and some that I hadn't even noticed. However, they got me thinking about it, and I've got a solution in the form of a plot twist a little ways down the road. I left a teeny tiny little spoiler in here in the chapter somewhere. So for a temporary fix, Yuugi is nervous and jumpy around people, quick to blame himself and scared to 'mess up'. {Aww, man, this looks reeeeeaaaaallllyy bad, but whatever I can fix it later}. I like to call it the 'halfway stage'. {Damn, they're going to figure some of it out, shut the hell up, Sin!} Yup, I'm giving far too much away and rambling at this point, so carry on.

Lastly, as I said in the beginning, this is the first fic I've actually written and developed, so criticism is always welcome. Sorry if it's bad, but I'm always willing to look at suggestions and stuff, so :P. Sorry again!

~Sinful Magician


End file.
